The Sunday Junkie: Dec. 30 edition

While UFC 155 didn’t necessarily start out in entertaining fashion, the UFC’s final bout of 2012 was heavy on entertainment.

Not surprisingly, the UFC heavyweight matchup between new champion Cain Velasquez and the man who had previously handed him his lone career defeat, Junior Dos Santos, was the primary focus of our readers in this week’s edition of “The Sunday Junkie.”

But this week’s winning entry, which came from the Netherlands’ Marty Leama, centered not on the performance of the two heavyweight greats but the reaction of the Las Vegas crowd that inexplicably booed Dos Santos following the epic five-round affair.

For his winning entry, Marty receives a free one-year subscription to “Fighters Only” magazine, the world’s leading MMA and lifestyle magazine.

Want to submit to next week’s edition of The Sunday Junkie? Scroll to the bottom of the page for instructions.

Also, as a reminder, please be sure to include your hometown and stick within the 150-word limit (and include your submission in the body of an email, not in an attachment). Many quality submissions this week didn’t meet those minimum guidelines and couldn’t be considered for publication.

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MMA REMAINS A SPORT WITH WORK TO DO, ESPECIALLY WITH ITS FANS

For a sport that I adore and have followed since 1993, I am still amazed by the ignorance of so-called fans of MMA. After a great night of fights topped off by an absolutely world-class finale, I was sickened and shocked to see fans boo Junior Dos Santos. Why even bother paying money and attending a UFC event if they are that ignorant to what just unfolded in front of their eyes? Fans of other sports know when they have just witnessed something amazing, yet time and time again large sections of UFC crowds boo fighters when they have just offered their soul in the cage like a gladiator. I feel embarrassed for the fighters and people who work so hard for the sport when this happens. At its best, a UFC card can be one of the greatest sporting events ever witnessed. As MMA moves forward, hopefully fans will, too.

Marty Leama
Amsterdam, Netherlands

LAS VEGAS’ FANS TREATMENT OF DOS SANTOS EMBARRASSING

Junior Dos Santos fought his heart out at UFC 155, took a beating, and kept looking for that knockout punch. He’s won me over as a fan, even though I was actually cheering on Cain Velasquez. What Dos Santos didn’t deserve was a booing crowd during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. MMA fans need to be a little more mature and a little more respectful or risk letting MMA be seen as a sport for the undignified. Japanese fans seem to be the only ones that show respect for both the winner and the loser of the fight. I hope that this attitude will spread to fans of other cultural identities – especially those who were in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Andrew Ponton
Suva, Fiji

VELASQUEZ PROVES WELL-ROUNDED SKILLS BEAT AMAZING BOXING

The confidence Junior Dos Santos has in his boxing became his downfall against Cain Velasquez. Dos Santos was never given a chance to establish any kind of rhythm as Velasquez pushed the pace with punches, kicks, takedowns and clinches. As Velasquez kept the pressure on, there was no change in strategy for Dos Santos as he continued to go for the knockout. We have all heard about the great ground game Dos Santos has, but we never get to see it in the octagon. He should have been more prepared to use his ground skills to end up on top and go for ground and pound and submissions instead of relying solely on his boxing. The result of the fight is more proof that a fighter can be amazing at one thing and have a lot of success, but when you fight someone that is great at everything, it’s a different story.

Wow, what a difference a day makes (or 13 months, to be exact). It is hard to imagine that the UFC’s heavyweight champion was the same Cain Velasquez that got viciously KO’d in his first fight with Junior Dos Santos in 2011. It makes me believe the man really was injured for that fight. Either that, or Cain Velasquez version 2.0 is just a monster. I don’t know. Hats off to Velasquez for his performance. Good luck in the new year. Can’t wait to see him defend his belt against Alistair Overeem or some of the other beasts lurking in the heavyweight pool.

David Feinblatt
Palestine, Ill.

WILL THE REAL CAIN VELASQUEZ PLEASE STAND UP?

This past Saturday night, the real Cain Velasquez presented himself to the public eye, which is what everyone expected to see 13 months ago on the UFC’s first FOX broadcast. Nevertheless, Velasquez showed up from the opening bell and never looked back. He borrowed a brilliant gameplan straight out of Randy Couture’s play book from UFC 68 and stuck to it. He pressed the action from the start by closing the distance and imposing his will on an exhausted “JDS” for five straight rounds. Both fighters showed tremendous heart through a grueling championship battle, but it was Velasquez who proved that a well-orchestrated gameplan and a never-ending gas tank were the correct formula for the UFC heavyweight title.

“TCP”
Lancaster, Pa.

CAIN VELASQUEZ’S WIN MAKES THE WORLD RIGHT AGAIN

“The world is right again.” That was the only thought in my head as I watched Cain Velasquez dismantle Junior Dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight belt Saturday night. The commentary on this fight was all about how both fighters are healthy now and that Velasquez would need to dominate with his wrestling and push the pace to win the rematch. But no one seemed to want to acknowledge the possibility that the first fight ended so quickly due to a lucky punch. Is there any doubt now that “Cardio Cain” is the best heavyweight in the world after knocking Dos Santos horizontal with his hands before he ever even got a takedown? The guy put it on Dos Santos in every position and left without a scratch on him. That’s complete and total domination – not a (possibly lucky) haymaker one minute into the fight. Velasquez will be champ for a while.

Joshua Smith
Columbus, Ohio

VELASQUEZ-DOS SANTOS PRIMED FOR LENGTHY SERIES OF EPIC CLASHES

As a Junior Dos Santos fan, you’d think I would be quite upset at the way things turned out Saturday night. Wrong. Heavyweight has always been the weakest division in the UFC. It has never had a truly established champion like the UFC does at middleweight or welterweight, for example. What better way to entrench themselves in UFC history than for Cain Velasquez and Dos Santos to fight four or five times a la Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez? This is the only time I’ve ever seen two guys tied at 1-1 when both are at such a young age, also having been champions. We know they are going to meet again; they are going to be battling for the title for years, and who’s to say how many great fights we’ll see from them both if Velasquez’s stark improvement is anything to go by. I just hope it is not restricted to three.

Kristian Bennett
Newcastle, U.K.

PRELIMINARY FIGHTS ONCE AGAIN OUTSHINE MAIN CARD

For what seems like at least the fifth time this year, a UFC pay-per-view’s preliminary fights were better than the main card with more fighters “leaving it in the octagon.” Could it be the lack of pressure to perform on a major pay-per-view? Or is it the youth in some fighters that leads them to want to impress the fans? Just because a fighter is on pay-per-view and you paid for the show doesn’t mean you will get their best performance. Don’t ignore the prelims anymore because the stars of tomorrow could very well be fighting there.

Cody Ryan
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

DESPITE APPEARANCES, UFC ACTUALLY HURTING WOMEN’S MMA

I completely agree with Dana White’s decision to headline UFC 157 with two women. The pay-per-view may even do well and turn some people onto women’s MMA. But the rush to sign one female (Ronda Rousey) to the Zuffa banner has hurt women’s MMA as a whole. Strikeforce, EliteXC and Bellator started the push for women’s MMA and regional promotions have attempted to bolster the ranks with all-female promotions like Valkryie and JEWELS in Japan and Invicta in the U.S. However, with the UFC dipping its toes into women’s MMA, the focus will now be taken off the minor shows doing their best to strengthen the ranks. White complained that women’s MMA was never deep enough to bring it into the UFC, and now due to his desire just to sign Rousey, he has severely affected the promotions that were making women’s MMA stronger.

Sean Cowley
Perth, Australia

“BONES,” STOP AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

For Jon Jones to even think that he could go to heavyweight and compete is just ridiculous. Just stop. No way, no how! Not for a long min. Look, he has a few more years before he gets his man body. Let’s face it, Cain Velasquez could be a 205-pounder, and he just beat the brakes off of Junior Dos Santos. Either of those two would handle Jones. “Bones” just does not have the size; to think that is crazy. The heavyweight title is going to change hands as soon as Velasquez fights Alistair Overeem. Velasquez can’t handle the kickboxing and won’t be able to take Overeem down. Jones vs. Overeem? That’s just plain crazy. Jones, hang out where you are and make some money. You’re 25 years old and could build a Hall of Fame career by the time your 30. Don’t go up and chance your body and career. Call out Anderson Silva and be done with it.

“Jpearson”
Arcade, Ga.

STALLING STRATEGIES RUINING MMA

I’m not the type of MMA fight with a blood rage always wanting Gladiator-style fights until one man is knocked unconscious. However, I’m growing tired of constantly seeing two or three fights on every UFC main card turning into stalling affairs with one fighter dominating position, throwing “set up” punches that rarely lead to anything – especially a stoppage. Yes, I understand that if you can’t defend the takedown or grapple well, you likely deserve to be taught a lesson about this sport. But honestly, I’m about done with that way of thinking because these fights, for lack of a better word, are boring. I don’t see UFC 155’s card attracting any new fans. In fact, it seemed like the opposite (sorry Jim Miller and Joe Lauzon – you guys gave it your all). I’m fine with grappling fights (looking at you Clay Guida vs. Anthony Pettis), but something should be done.

“Fisticuffs”
Bloomington, Ind.

IN GOLDBERG WE TRUST

Somehow in today’s era, Mike Goldberg is viewed by some as a dullard but by others as a genius. I love Goldberg; he represents in modern MMA the ever-changing knowledge of the sport. Yes, yes, he has some of the most hilarious out-of-this-world commentary ever seen in modern television, such as calling Jens Pulver “Lil Eagle” or presenting a prior heavyweight boxing champion as “George Holmes.” I hate the movie “The Dark Knight” but can’t help remember one of its signature quotes: “Why so serious?” Goldberg uses humor to his advantage and gives those with minimal knowledge an exciting commentary – and on occasion provides us seasoned veterans with wisdom, as well as tongue-in-cheek humor. The perfect balance. Godspeed Mike Goldberg. You are missed.

“BUCK602″
Chandler, Ariz.

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As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.